1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for producing and recording a panorama image from an image signal produced by imaging a subject by means of an imaging element such as a CCD (charge coupled device) apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Apparatus wherein an image signal produced by imaging a subject by means of an imaging element such as a CCD apparatus is recorded onto a recording medium and is supplied to a viewfinder and the thus recorded image signal is reproduced and supplied to a monitor are known and used conventionally. A typical one of such apparatus is a video tape recorder integrated with a camera (hereinafter referred to as video camera-tape recorder) or an electronic still camera.
In such a conventional video camera-tape recorder or a like apparatus as mentioned above, the image signal supplied to the viewfinder or the monitor represents the subject for each screen, and accordingly, also the image displayed in the viewfinder or on the monitor represents the subject for each screen. Consequently, the image displayed at a time is limited to an image of a narrow area of the subject, and it is impossible for the user to see a wide scene or spectacle at a glance.
Thus, a panorama image producing apparatus has been proposed wherein a subject is imaged to produce an image signal and a plurality of images formed from the image signal are joined together to produce a panorama image. The panorama image producing apparatus photographs a subject while being panned or tilted and controls the width with which a plurality of images are joined together in accordance with a motion vector of the image. Accordingly, in order to produce a panorama image with a high degree of accuracy, it is necessary to accurately detect a motion vector of an image.